Come Back to Me
by Chedder Fries
Summary: It's been nearly a year since Inuyasha chose Kikyo over Anayame and sent her home. What will happen when Inuyasha stumbles on her doorstep and Naraku hatches yet another evil plan? - Inu/Ana - AU
1. Prologue

Prologue:

The dust settled over the remains of the Ogre of the Forbidden Tower. Naraku walked through, pushing body parts away from him with the tip of his shoe. Kanna, the ever loyal albino child, walked at his side, holding her mirror to her chest. He came across a pile of clothing and stopped walking.

"You can bring her back, My Lord." Kanna said softly.

"I know." Naraku replied to his youngest Incarnation. "But I want to do it differently. A way that Inuyasha wont even see coming." He knelt down and took the beaded necklace from the pile of discarded clothing. "Its all coming together, Kanna. Can you show me her? Can you show me The Priestess of Time?"

"Im afraid not. She is not in this era anymore. But I can find Tsubakis soul. It is lost and unwilling to move on to the Netherworld." Kanna said.

Naraku picked up Tsubakis clothing and draped it over his arm. "Come along," He said, standing up straight. He walked away leaving the dead ogre behind.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One:

I sighed over my history book and leaned back in my chair. Tossing my pen onto my notebook, World War Two was still in my mind. Hitler's delusions of grandeur and all the people who believed them to save their lives. I shook my head trying to clear these thoughts and looked at the clock. It was nearly seven; I'd been studying for two hours. Time for a break. I got up from my desk and stretched my back and arms. My back cracked and popped as it straightened itself out.

I left my room and went into the living room. My grandfather was sleeping in his chair, snoring softly. The news was on the television. I crossed the living room and walked into the kitchen. Pulling a can of soda out of the fridge I opened it with a _pop-hiss _and leaned back against the counter. My red gold hair fell over my shoulder slightly and into my amber-brown eyes.

I looked outside to the front yard, a new blanket of snow glittered in the full moon's light. It weighed heavy on the boughs of the pine trees that protected our little house from view of the road. Snow was still falling, big thick flakes. I wondered if it was snowing in the Feudal Era too.

It had been months since Inuyasha sent me away. I did my best to go on with a normal life, but it was difficult. I got into college and picked up History as a major, Ive gone through a birthday so now I was eighteen. But I was still incomplete. So many times I thought of crossing over to the past to see how everyone was doing, but that would enrage Inuyasha ... Kikyo, too.

_Kikyo_

I thought sipping my soda. I respected my ancestor but at the same time my temper flared. I never knew first love, but I've been told what it's like. You can never really forget a first love or stop loving them. That's what I figured what was going on with Inuyasha. But it still hurt. Sure he was cantankerous, pig headed and strong willed but when the two of us needed one another, we were there.

A movement in the shadows outside caught my eye. I watched it as it came into the light, silver/white hair played with the moonlight like the snow on the ground.

"What the-?" I asked I dropped my soda can. The noise woke my grandfather.

"Ana?" He asked.

"I'll clean it up." I said, still staring. The figure walked closer, hobbling in the snow. His red kimono traced in white from the snowflakes falling on him.

I leaped over the spilled soda and tore out of the kitchen. I slipped my shoes on and threw open the front door. I jumped off of the porch and into the snow, running for him. He looked at me and his breath caught. Without thinking I ran into Inuyasha's arms jumping up a little to wrap my arms around his neck. He stumbled back a little, before putting his right arm around me in return. I slid down into the snow and looked up at him. He looked tired, worn. Something weighed heavy on him. It was then that I noticed the darker shade of red on the left arm and part of his chest on his kimono.

"Inuyasha?" I asked him.

"I'm..." He started and fell to his knees in the snow; I put his right arm around my shoulders. His aura shifted slightly. "I'm sorry... I..."

"Easy, let's get you inside." I turned back to the house, Gramps was standing on the porch, snow played in my hair and on my shoulders. "Gramps, help!" I called. The old man walked off of the porch and reached us easily. He put Inuyasha's other arm around his shoulders and we both made for the house. We helped Inuyasha up the couple stairs to the porch before Gramps got him inside. We laid him down on the couch.

"I'll get water and bandages." Gramps said and shuffled into the kitchen, avoiding the spilled soda on the floor. He picked up the can and put a towel down to soak up the spill. I put a pillow behind Inuyasha's head and knelt beside the couch. I helped the Hanyou settle comfortably before I started my work. Patching up Inuyasha was almost second nature to me. I untied his kimono, pulling it gently off of his arm and down to his waist. The wound was large and went from his shoulder to his chest. But there were two. Another was next to it, a puncture wound. Like he'd been stabbed.

Gramps came back with a large bowl of warm water mixed with herbs, cloth, and some bandages. "What happened to you, son?" Gramps asked him. I took the cloth and soaked it with water. I wrung it out and gently dabbed the cloth on his longest cut first. He winced as I cleaned the dried blood away.

"We were attacked." He said. "A pretty powerful demon. He did this to me."

"And the other one?" I asked, concentrating on my work.

"Kikyo." He said hesitantly. I stopped what I was doing for a second, then shook my head and went back to it.

"Kikyo?" Gramps asked, looking at me.

"The wound the demon dealt you was fatal, wasn't it?" I asked quietly. Inuyasha didn't say anything. "You're demon half kicked in and Kikyo couldn't stop you."

"I got control a little and jumped into the well and came here. I knew you could help get me back." He said. He flinched again as I kept cleaning. "I was wrong. Kikyo ... " He said.

"Shhh." I soothed. "We'll talk later, just rest okay?" He let out a deep breath and closed his eyes. I applied the bandages and pulled a blanket over him as I let him sleep.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

I woke up and stretched. My back cracked straight down. I let out a whimper and put my hand on my lower back. I had fallen asleep beside the couch. I sat on the floor, my head on my arms on the cushions where Inuyasha had been laying but wasnt. I looked into the kitchen to see my grandfather humming and busying himself making breakfast.

"You know I was pretty angry with you, Inuyasha." He said. My eyes darted to a form sitting at the table, a pile of pancakes on a plate before him. Inuyasha sniffed the maple syrup bottle. Gramps took it from his hand and put syrup on his pancakes for him.

"I'm sorry sir." He said sincerely. "I just..."

"Listened to your heart and past feelings rather than your head?" Gramps finished.

"I guess." Inuyasha replied.

I got to my feet and walked into the kitchens doorway, running my hand through my mussed red/gold hair. "Gramps makes the best pancakes in Tokyo." I said. Inuyasha looked up at me and smiled. His wounds had clean dressing on them.

"You did well, girl." Gramps said. "I changed the dressings on his wounds and they were nearly healed." I walked over to the kitchen cabinets.

"I don't think it was all me. Inuyasha's not quite like a regular human." I said, grabbing an empty glass and the orange juice from the fridge. I poured myself some juice and sat down at the table. Gramps pushed a plate of pancakes my way. I grabbed a fork and started cutting one, putting a piece into my mouth and eating it.

"I suppose you want an apology?" Inuyasha said, looking at me.

"You showed up here, looking for me. That's apology enough. Kikyo's going to be pretty mad though when you go back and you're back to yourself again." I said, sipping my orange juice. "But something wicked inside me is laughing at the fact that I can save you and she cant."

"I'm not planning on going back alone, if that's what you're thinking." He said. I looked at him from above my breakfast. "I came back here to get your help and bring you back."

I sat back in my chair, he kept talking. "Kikyo took off. I don't know where she went. I lost her scent. Shippo hasn't talked much to me and neither has Miroku. I hate to admit it, but I need those two just as much as you do."

I blinked and leaned forward, putting my elbows on the table and pushing my half eaten pancakes away. "You hurt me, Inuyasha. Hurt me so bad I didn't know if I was going to make it through. I was born to be a priestess, but you took that birth right away with just a few words. Not to mention --" I stopped there and looked away.

"Not to mention what?" Inuyasha asked.

"Forget it. I'm going to take a shower real quick then we can leave." I said, getting up from the table. I walked into my bathroom and closed the door leaning back against it.

"What was that about?" I heard Inuyasha ask Gramps through the door.

"My dear boy, you may be amazing with a sword, strong willed, stubborn and quickly healed. But you lack knowledge in the workings of a womans heart." Gramps said. I stripped out my tank top and pajama pants and got in the shower.

In about fifteen minutes I was dressed. My jeans were dark like I like them, tight on my backside and thighs, but flared over a pair of brown boots. I grabbed a dark orange t-shirt that clung to my torso but not uncomfortably. I pulled my sweatshirt off of the wall next to the front door. My hair was still wet and pulled up in a messy bun at the base of my neck. My bangs fell into eye annoyingly. I brushed them back.

"Ana." Gramps said and I looked toward him. He walked up to me and smiled. My pack on his back. I took it from him. Inuyasha was standing on the porch already, waiting for me. Be careful. "I'll take care of things here. You go be who you were meant to be."

"Thanks Gramps." I said and hugged him then shouldered my pack.

I opened the door and pulled my sweatshirt on, zipping it up part way. I put my hood up and smiled at Inuyasha. He grabbed my arm and pulled me into a hug. I put my arms under his and hugged him around his back. I could still smell the herbs on the wounds beneath his kimono. He ran his fingers through my hair and I smiled. Wordlessly he let me go, pulled me around onto his back, held my legs and leapt off. I grinned like an idiot. The rush was so familiar and comfortable. The feel of my feet not touching the ground, it was so overwhelming that I put my arms out to my side and laughed. Inuyasha looked over his shoulder at me with a smirk. I brought my arms back as we leapt from rooftop to rooftop and eventually to the Well.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three:

We touched down on the other side, it was cold here too. It must have snowed. Inuyasha leapt onto the mouth of the well and lowered his hand to me. I grabbed it and he pulled me up to sit beside him. He looked at me for a long minute, not letting my hand go. I felt my face flush. He leaned his face forward, was he going to kiss me? I stayed still, holding his eyes with mine. Our faces got closer and closer and for a moment my heart fluttered in my chest. Ive kissed him before, but it was awkward and strange and kisses never happened too often between us. But I wanted it. So dangerously close now...

"Let her go!"

I heard a voice yell, Inuyasha stopped coming toward me as a sutra clung to his face. He blinked at me and disappointment flashed behind his golden eyes. He wanted to kiss me too. I almost kissed him anyway, but refrained. I looked toward the direction where the sutra had come from and sighed as I saw Miroku standing in the snow, Shippo next to him in battle stance.

"Are you serious?" I asked them.

Inuyasha let my hand go and took the sutra off of his face, he turned it in his hand. "An exorcism?" Inuyasha asked. "I'm half DEMON you idiot."

"Inuyasha, you're okay?" Shippo asked, he relaxed and crawled up Mirokus robes to sit on his shoulder. The small Kitsune looked at the two of us oddly.

"Yes I'm okay." Inuyasha said with aggravation in his voice. He threw the sutra into the snow. The ink started to run down the paper. I slid down off of the well and into the snow, Inuyasha stood next to me. I let my pack fall and picked up the piece of paper.

"You know this wouldnt have worked, right?" I said to Miroku. Shippo leapt onto the ground and came at me. He jumped up and hugged me around my neck, I smiled and put my hand on the back of his head. The little Kitsune was like a brother to me. He was only nine or ten by human standards.

"Welcome back, Anayame." Miroku said with a bow. I walked up to the monk and hugged him. Knowing Inuyasha was keeping a good eye on where the monks hands went. But he hugged me without incident and I let him go.

"I'm sure Inuyasha has told you everything?" Miroku said. The half demon walked up to us and stood beside me. I walked up closer where they couldnt see our hands. I took Inuyashas hand in mine. Surprise flashed across his face but then it turned normal and he held my hand tightly in his. I squeezed it reassuringly and let it go.

"All I heard about was a powerful demon attacked, nearly killed him, he transformed, Kikyo couldn't bring him back. Then he said he got enough control of himself to fall down the well and look for me." I said with a nod.

"I see." Miroku nodded as we walked back to the village. I put my pack on my back and Inuyasha put his hands in the sleeves of his fire rat kimono. My hands went into my sweatshirts pockets. Shippo sat on my shoulder underneath the messy bun that was still damp at my neck.

"Kikyo took off then?" Inuyasha asked, looking at the snow at his feet.

"Yes, after you disappeared." Miroku said solemnly. The tension between the two men was enough to choke on. I could tell by the tone in Miroku's voice that he wasn't at all pleased with what happened. But I wondered if he ever voiced that concern with Inuyasha. Who was I kidding? This was Inuyasha, he wouldn't listen to him even if the monk had tried!

"Well I'm glad." Shippo stated, I smirked at him. "I'm serious! She wasn't you, Anayame. She didn't like me sleeping on her pillow at night. Not like you do."

"It's okay, buddy. You can sleep on my pillow anytime you want." I told him. When we reached the village gates, I stopped walking and smiled. It was like coming home. Children played in the snow. Building snowmen and making snow angels never looked so appealing. Shippo jumped off of my shoulder and ran to join them. Miroku kept walking.

"Ana, you okay?" Inuyasha asked, he stopped next to me. I looked at him and kept smiling.

"Just didn't realize how homesick I was." I said simply. He smiled at me. "Inuyasha, I missed you a lot more than I care to admit."

"I know." He replied with a smile and moved a strand of red hair out of my eyes. "I'll never let it happen again. I promise."

"Good, cause if you did, I'd come back and kick your ass." I joked and went into the village. Inuyasha followed me. The snow was just as deep here as it was in my time. It soaked the hem of my jeans and turned my brown boots white. Siari looked up from her snowman and ran to me. Her nose and cheeks were red. My little friend grinned from ear to ear before abandoning her project and running to me. The other children, seeing their friend come toward me, followed after her. I laughed as I hugged each of them.

That night, I stepped outside. The moon was high over the village. Behind me, Kaedes hut was quiet. Everyone slept soundly. Shippo was spread eagle on my pillow, snoring softly. Inuyasha sat against the wall next to my mat. It felt good to be back.

Suddenly, pain ripped through my body. I clutched my shirt and leaned back against the support beam of the porch. I saw flashes in my mind, from the snowy rooftops of the village to some place dark and threatening. I shook my head, trying to clear the images, but they only got stronger as did the pain.

"Inuyasha." I choked out and fell forward in the snow, cold came over me and so did darkness. It cradled me into unconsciousness.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

When I woke up again I was in a building. But it was very unfamiliar. Bare tree branches scratched the windows, causing me to jump. I looked around the cold room and saw nothing but a shrine with empty bowls on it.

A movement slithered across my feet and I pulled them back as a white serpent coiled on the floor there. My body shook. His red eyes were lifeless and without feeling, Tsubakis shikigami?

Tsubaki was a dark priestess who cursed me. The only time Ive been so close to death, it was almost a year ago. I thought we destroyed Tsubaki. The snake looked at me, like it was waiting for orders. My skin crawled. If there was one thing I hated more than anything, it was snakes. Something without legs that can roam the earth is unnatural. They made me physically sick.

Go away! I said. The snake vanished. I put my hand over my eyes and let out a breath. I pulled my hand away, silver hair fell over my shoulder.

Wait silver?

I looked down at myself, I was wearing a dark blue kimono and a gray skirt. I felt my face, a shell of some kind was rested on my forehead, just at the hair line. I got to my feet and pushed the empty bowls and cloth off of the shrine until I found a broken mirror. The face looking back at me wasnt mine. The voice I spoke with wasnt mine. Nothing was mine. Tsubakis reflection looked back at me.

I see youve woken up.

A voice said, I got to my feet and dropped the mirror. The glass shattered into pieces. Kagura stood in the room with me, Kanna, the small albino child was with her. The mirror in the young girls hand was swirling.

What have you done to me? I demanded, my voice even and straight. My eyes narrowed at Kagura. I balled my hands to fists at my side.

I havent done a thing. Naraku has. Kagura said with a small yawn. See for yourself. She gestured to the mirror in her sisters hands. The surface swirled and cleared out. I my body was lying in the snow.

Ana, what the hell are you doing out here? Said Inuyasha, coming out to get me. Ana? He knelt next to my body and turned it over. My lips and cheeks were blue. Ana! Miroku! Kaede! His voice edged in panic. I watched as he picked my body up and took it inside, the mirror faded. I looked back at Kagura.

Where is he? Wheres Naraku? Tell me how to fix this. I ordered, I edged toward the door. Kagura watched but didnt stop me.

Im not going to stop you from running, priestess. Im just curious to see how Inuyasha reacts to Tsubakis return. She said looking me over up and down. I turned and ran out of the hut and into the snow. I wasnt sure where I was, but I didnt care. I ran


End file.
